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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28382865">Still Beautiful</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darynidia/pseuds/Darynidia'>Darynidia</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Rewriting the Finale [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supernatural</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, First Kiss, Fix-It of Sorts, Happy Ending, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 01:07:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,354</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28382865</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darynidia/pseuds/Darynidia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Continuing straight from the ending of "I Always Come When You Call", Dean is trying to adapt to a reality where he told Castiel that he loved him, too. Meanwhile, Jack discovers that there is at least one more living creature not too far away.</p>
<p>This takes a few minor points from episode 15x19, but ignores most of it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Castiel/Dean Winchester</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Rewriting the Finale [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2078754</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>47</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Still Beautiful</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Happy Monday, loves!</p>
<p>I hope all of you who celebrate had nice holidays. After many of you seemed to enjoy <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28108101">the first part of this series</a>, I decided to write this follow-up. But since the actual episode 19 didn't inspire me at all, I was struggling for a while. I had little more than 700 words with a completely different storyline, which didn't feel right to me at all. Last night I decided to throw it out completely and decided to write this instead. I hope you enjoy it!</p>
<p>I want to give a massive thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/TheLadyStarfyre">Rita</a>, who took the time to beta read this fic for me (within a few hours as well). You're my hero!</p>
<p>And now, happy reading everyone!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As the days went by a new routine settled in the bunker. Sam was delighted to find out about Castiel’s miraculous return but quickly gave up on questioning him and Dean about it. Instead, he and Jack buried themselves in the library to give Dean and his angel their space.</p>
<p>Although Dean would never admit it, he was glad he didn’t have to talk to his brother about this new thing between them. There was so much to figure out for both him and Cas, a nosy Sam would have complicated things for sure.</p>
<p>As it was, he found himself struggling to open up again the way he had in the Empty. Objectively he knew the angel loved him and there was not a sliver of doubt in his heart and mind that he had never loved anyone more than Cas. Still, a lifelong habit of thinking about himself as nothing more than a broken piece of a man, good for nothing except fighting and killing monsters, had taken a toll on him. The walls he had built around his heart would need a while to break down.</p>
<p>And then there was the intimacy. He knew Cas had a few encounters with women over the years, one of whom had tortured and killed him after she spent the night taking his virginity, yet he hadn’t even tried to kiss Dean, not to mention go anywhere beyond that. Maybe he wasn’t interested in that kind of relationship.</p>
<p>Instead they spent their nights in the Dean cave, having added a new couch they borrowed (“Aren’t we technically stealing it, Dean?”) from a store in town. “None of those guys need it right now, Cas,” Dean had argued. “They’ve been vaporized and sent Chuck-knows-where so some missing furniture is probably not high on their mind right now.”</p>
<p>The first night they spent sitting stiffly next to each other, a respectable gap between them, watching an old western. A day later, Dean decided he should let Cas choose the movie. He did after all still have all of Metatron’s memories and therefore a bigger knowledge of pop culture than anyone else. Apparently knowledge didn’t equal taste though; at least that’s what Dean thought when the angel decided to choose a 20th century documentary about the Renaissance.</p>
<p>“It’s very fascinating,” Cas tried to convince him. “Humanity at the time made some remarkable discoveries. Moreover,” before he knew what he was doing, Dean was pressing his hand against Castiel’s mouth. “Hmpf”, the angel tried to speak. When he went quiet, Dean dropped the hand to his shoulder. The smile he got in return warmed his heart. Slowly testing the waters, he scooted closer and put his arm around Castiel’s shoulders, all while feeling the intense stare of those beautiful blue eyes on him.</p>
<p>The documentary was still boring, but Dean didn’t pay a lot of attention anyway. His entire side was snuggled against almost 6 feet of warm, familiar angel. One warm, familiar trenchcoat, to be precise. They had hugged in the past but it had always been brief, a few seconds at most if Dean felt particularly reckless. Cas didn’t seem to mind the touch.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Apparently, Dean had dozed off not too long after because the next thing he remembered was waking up to Sam repeatedly calling out his name. Cas was nowhere to be seen but he seemed to have put Dean on the couch completely and covered him with the blanket from his room.</p>
<p>“Cas?” he shouted out loud. Where was he? Did he feel uncomfortable with Dean so close after all? Shit, did he leave the bunker? Or did Chuck realize he was back and vaporized him as well, just to torture Dean? The walls around his heart had already started to crack and through them he could feel the pain again. “He’s okay,” he reminded himself. “If Chuck wanted to take him, he could’ve done that earlier.” But that didn’t help either, since it could only mean the angel had left of his own free will.</p>
<p>“Cas,” he barely whispered this time. “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I’ll stop it, I promise. I know angels don’t really do the whole physical intimacy thing. Just come back alright? I’ll keep my distance, I promise.”</p>
<p>Before he could say anything else, Sam burst through the door. “Here you are! Come on, we got something.” He wrinkled his nose. “Did you sleep in here? I’m changing my mind. Take a shower before you join us, we’re leaving in ten!” Although he had no idea what his brother was talking about, Dean knew there was no arguing with him when he was in this state. He’d probably have plenty of time to do that in the car anyway.</p>
<p>After a quick shower and change into some fresh clothes from his room he grabbed his duffle bag, not sure what to expect. Apparently his worries about Cas hadn’t been entirely justified, since he found the angel just a few minutes later standing in the war room with his brother and Jack, looking up and smiling at him. “Good morning, Dean.”</p>
<p>“Heya Cas,” Dean was uncertain how to react so he returned the smile, looking into those blue eyes once more. Finally, when Sam cleared his throat, he turned to his brother and asked, “What’s going on? Did you find a way to beat God?” “Not quite,” Sam shook his head, “But get this: Jack detected a presence. Something else is out there, besides us.” That certainly grabbed Dean’s attention. “How? I thought your powers stopped working?” he asked the Nephilim. “I’m not sure,” Jack replied, “But it’s like Sam said, there is something out there and it’s neither us nor Chuck.”</p>
<p>After a brief discussion  they decided Cas would stay behind in the bunker. If this was Chuck after all, Dean didn’t want to risk losing his… whatever he and Cas were now… again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The three of them had barely hit the road, when Jack leaned in between the brothers from the backseat and told them, “It’s moving. I think it’s coming towards us.” Dean caught sight of Jack in the rearview mirror as his eyes suddenly flared up and he pressed his hands against his ears. “Angel radio?” Sam asked with excitement in his voice. Dean hit the brakes and steered Baby towards the side of the road.</p>
<p>“Are you alright, kid?” he asked a minute later, when Jack’s eyes were normal again and he had lowered his hands. “I think so,” he replied. They all stepped out onto the grass. Once Dean was sure they weren’t in any immediate danger (and Jack hadn’t accidentally exploded any parts of his car), he turned to Sam. “What the hell? I mean, really, what the actual hell? Chuck decides to get rid of all life on earth and those winged dicks are left alone? How is that fair? What’s next? Demons?”</p>
<p>Somehow, his brother didn’t seem too phased by that revelation. “It makes sense,” he told Dean. “They worship him, we hate them. It’s the perfect mix.” Before Dean could respond, Jack interrupted them. “He’s coming.” “Who’s coming?” “Michael. He doesn’t seem to have a vessel.”</p>
<p>“So he’s coming here in his true form?” Sam sounded almost as alarmed as Dean felt, not that he’d ever admit that. “Maybe. I’m not sure. His intentions don’t make sense,” Jack answered. “Which side is he on?” Dean managed to ask. He tried to sound a lot more confident then he felt. Instead of answering, Jack listened to angel radio again, still looking in pain but seeming to concentrate more on what was said.</p>
<p>A few moments later they had their explanation. Apparently Jack’s powers hadn’t returned on their own. He had been sucking energy from his surroundings in order to fill up the power vacuum Billie’s trials had left. Michael, in order to defeat Chuck and give Jack the abilities to bring back everyone, was willing to lend him his archangel power. Sam didn’t seem too sure of his intentions but Dean reminded him, “Gift horse, mouth, Sammy” and he reluctantly agreed.</p>
<p>They waited for a few minutes before Dean decided to ask “So, how does this work?” He had barely finished his sentence when he felt a small vibration go through his body, rapidly becoming more intense. His ears began to buzz and Jack yelled at them to cover their eyes. Even through his closed eyes and the arm he had pressed against his face, Dean was sure he could see the bright light surrounding them. The buzzing had turned into a high pitched noise, which he remembered well from the day Castiel had tried to talk to him in his true voice.</p>
<p>Thankfully, it was over as quick as it started. When he dared to open his eyes again Jack was standing in the exact same spot as before, smiling at him and Sam and telling them: “I can fight my grandfather now. He won’t be able to use his powers without me getting stronger and Michael’s power will keep me alive long enough to survive his first attack.”</p>
<p>They decided to head back to the bunker to regroup and decide their next step. After all, they still had to find Chuck and make him actually fight the Nephilim. “We still have his book,” Sam reminded his brother, “I’m sure he will come to get it eventually.”</p>
<p>Since they hadn’t come very far from the bunker, they decided to stop at their favorite diner and get burgers to take back with them. Correction, Sam didn’t get a burger; he got one of those large salads that were entirely too green for Dean’s liking. How he managed to sustain that giant body of his on that diet was a miracle on its own.</p>
<p>Dean managed to get a few bites in before he pulled into the bunker’s garage. Happy to finally have a chance of defeating Chuck while eating his second favorite cheeseburger (only topped by his own home made one), he hummed a Zeppelin song. He stepped through the garage door into the bunker’s hallway and before he knew what he was doing he had called out “Honey, we’re home!” to Cas.</p>
<p>Immediately realizing what had happened he felt his cheeks turn red. A glance at Sam confirmed his suspicion that his brother was trying to hold back a laugh, so he decided to double down and send him a death glare, “Not a word, I’m warning you!” “Hey, I didn’t say anything”, Sam defended himself, before adding “Jerk.” “Bitch,” Dean’s response came automatically after decades of teasing each other.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Cas had heard him and met them halfway on their way to the main hall. “Hello Dean,” he greeted him before even looking at Sam and Jack. “I didn’t expect you to be back so soon. Were you able to find out what it was Jack felt earlier?” After they put down their bags and sat down to eat their meals, Sam and Dean quickly filled Cas in about what had happened.</p>
<p>“I can feel your power,” he told Jack. “Are you sure it’s enough to go against Chuck himself?” Jack nodded, “It’s enough” and cut off any more questions about it. Dean passed Cas the burger he had brought him and let his hand linger there a moment when they touched.</p>
<p>“Dean, can we talk?” he asked. Dean pulled back his hand and gave a quick glance to his brother, who thankfully seemed to get the message. “Come on, Jack. Let’s see if we can find out how to summon Chuck,” he prompted him and they left the room.</p>
<p>When Dean turned back around, he was met by Castiel’s familiar gaze. “What do you want to talk about?” he asked him. “This morning, before you left, you said something. A prayer maybe, I’m not sure, but you said you would keep your distance because angels don’t experience physical intimacy the same way humans do,” Cas explained. Whatever Dean had expected this wasn’t it. He burrowed his face in his hands and felt it heat up again.</p>
<p>“I’m really sorry about that Cas,” he began but before he could finish, Cas had put his hand over Dean’s mouth, strangely mirroring the night before. “Don’t apologize, Dean. I wanted to give you space. I know you told me that you love me and I believe you, but I also know you don’t say that lightly. You deserve to be happy. I want to do everything for you, with you, as long as you’ll have me. If I have to wait or keep my distance because I’m in a male vessel, I understand. I know you have always preferred females.”</p>
<p>The angel’s use of the word females made Dean unintentionally chuckle. This was his Cas, there was no doubt in his mind. “It’s true, I’ve never had a relationship with a guy before,” he told him after Cas took down his hand, “But that doesn’t mean I haven’t thought about it. Plus, you’re an angel. Gender is relative with you. I fell in love with <em>You</em>. Everything about you. Your hot vessel is just a bonus for me.”</p>
<p>The beaming smile Cas gave him was the most beautiful thing Dean had ever seen. How could he, a simple hunter without anything to give, ever deserve something so magnificent? Somehow this angel, this beautiful celestial being, had stayed with him through heaven, hell and purgatory and decided he deserved to be loved.</p>
<p>Before he had even made the conscious decision, Dean scooted closer with his chair and reached out to Cas. Slowly, savoring the moment, he cradled the angel’s face, felt the stubble on his palm, before Cas leaned into the touch, closing his eyes. If there ever was a right time, this was it.</p>
<p>Dean leaned his head in, closing the gap between them before, at last, his lips were on Castiel’s. He didn’t try to push anything, just taking in the feeling of, after more than a decade of pining, finally being able to kiss the love of his life.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you so much for reading! I would love to hear what you think about this story in the comments. If enough people enjoy it and I find the time and inspiration, I might continue doing rewrites of the last two episodes. If you'd like to follow me on Twitter, I'm <a href="https://twitter.com/Darynidia1">Darynidia</a> over there.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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